Return

Client:

Gem Diamonds

Location:

Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana

Duration:

21 Months

Scope of Work:

Specialty Services

Redpath completed the development of a sand tunnel at a re-commissioned diamond mine located in an exceptionally remote area.

A decline tunneling method using a specially designed 96-ton Open Face Tunnel Shield was used to develop the sand tunnel at - 8° inclination.

With the ore body located below 80 m deep desert, Redpath tunnelled through the sand to reach the rock basalt. Deploying a technology similar to what was used to develop the London Underground Railway System, mine workers operated within the shield to move the tunnel forward segment by segment.

While this technology may not be new, it has never before been used in unconsolidated sand or at a decline. The project was an unprecedented world first at 6.1 m in diameter by 473 m in length.

UNPRECEDENTED
WORLD FIRST

AT 6.1 m DIAMETER
X 473 m LENGTH

96 TON

OPEN FACE
TUNNEL SHIELD
used to develop the sand tunnel
at -8° inclination

80 m
TUNNELED

THROUGH DESERT SANDS
TO REACH ORE BODY

 

Return